Floribunda Rose Plant Named &#39;WEKwibysicpep&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of lavender with a magenta heart coloration.

Classification The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybridaplant.

Variety denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘WEKwibysicpep’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Floribunda Rose.It has a non-disseminated seedling of my creation as its seed parentwith the following genetic origin {[(International Herald Tribune×Rosasoulieana derivative)×(Sweet Chariot×Blue Nile)]×[BlueberryHill×Stephen's Big Purple]} and a non-disseminated seedling of mycreation as its pollen parent with the following genetic origin(Crystalline×Perfume Perfection).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combinations of characteristics: its high degree ofresistance to powdery mildew, downy mildew and rust, its stronggrapefruit and fruity fragrance with hints of spices and its uniquelavender with a magenta heart flower coloration. The plant has a roundedbushy moderately spreading growing habit, suitable for outdoor gardendecoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Pomona, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKwibysicpep’ maybe asexually propagated by cuttings, budding and grafting. The buddingand grafting successfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybridacv. ‘Dr. Huey’ (not patented).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, anon-disseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas ‘WEKwibysicpep’ bears very double flowers(about 29 to 65 petals) of lavender with a magenta heart coloration, thenon-disseminated seedling bears double flowers of red-purple with alavender eye coloration with significantly lesser petalage (about 25 to38 petals). The new variety has a strong grapefruit and fruity fragrancewith hints of spices, whereas the seed parent has a slight fruityfragrance.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, anon-disseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas ‘WEKwibysicpep’ bears very double flowers(about 29 to 65 petals) of lavender with a magenta heart coloration, thenon-disseminated seedling bears double flowers of lavender colorationwith significantly lesser petalage (about 22 to 32 petals). The newvariety has a rounded bushy moderately spreading medium height growinghabit (about 120 to about 160 cm. in height), whereas the pollen parenthas an upright significantly taller growing habit (about 160 to about180 cm. in height).

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The new variety may be distinguished from its closest commerciallyavailable cultivar, ‘JACshok’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,562) by thefollowing combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKwibysicpep’ bearsvery double flowers (about 29 to 65 petals) of lavender with a magentaheart coloration, ‘JACshok’ bears double flowers of lavender-pinkcoloration with significantly lesser petalage (about 25 to 30 petals).The new variety has a strong grapefruit and fruity fragrance with hintsof spices, whereas the closest commercially available cultivar has astrong lemon fragrance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. The branches used for the photograph came from 3 to 4year-old rose plants of the new variety grown outdoors in Pomona, Calif.in the month of November. Throughout this specification, colorreferences and/or values are based upon the Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society (1966) except where common terms of colordefinition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Pomona, Calif. in the month of November.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety sometimes bears its flowers singly, sometimes inclusters of two to five or more per stem. Flowers may be borne inregular rounded clusters on strong somewhat short to medium length stems(about 20 to about 52 cm.). The cluster ranges from about 11.2 to about22.0 cm. in diameter. Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearlycontinuously during the growing season. The flowers have a stronggrapefruit and fruity fragrance with hints of spices.

BUD

The peduncle is about 2.1 to about 5.5 cm. in length, of average tosomewhat heavy caliper (about 0.2 to about 0.3 cm. in diameter), andusually erect. It is moderately rough, with some stipitate glands andsome hairs. Peduncle color is between 146B and 146A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.0 to about 1.6 cm. indiameter at the widest point, about 1.1 to about 1.7 cm. in length, andmoderately ovoid to somewhat pointed in shape. The surface of the budbears between 5 to 10 foliaceous appendages with some stipitate glandsand few hairs, usually with slender entire foliaceous parts extendingbeyond the tip of the bud about ½ or more of its length. Bud color isbetween 138A and 146A.

The sepals are about 2.1 to about 2.8 cm. in length and about 0.8 toabout 1.1 cm. in width at the widest point. The outer surface color ofthe sepal is between 138A and 146A. The outer surface of the sepal issomewhat rough and bears between 0 to 4 foliaceous appendages with somestipitate glands and few hairs. The inner surface color of the sepal isnear 146C broadly bordered by near 137B. After the sepals open, theinner surface color is sometimes lightly suffused, especially on thearea exposed to the sun, with between 187B and 187C. The inner surfaceof the sepal is covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins arelined with some stipitate glands and hairs.

The receptacle of the flower is of somewhat short to medium length(about 0.5 to about 0.8 cm.) and moderately thin to average in caliper(about 0.7 to about 1.1 cm. in diameter). The receptacle is cup-shapedin form. Its surface is smooth with few hairs and with somewhat thinfleshy walls. The receptacle color is between 146B and 146A.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.7 toabout 2.2 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 1.6 to about 2.2cm. in length, and moderately ovoid to somewhat pointed in form. Thecolor of the under and upper surfaces of the newly opened petals isbetween 75B and 65D often moderately suffused with between 64B and 61B.At the point where the petal attaches, there is a large zone of between145D and 149D.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 6.7 to about 9.2 cm. indiameter. Petalage is very double with about 29 to 65 petals and about 5to 9 petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom formis moderately globular to somewhat cupped, and the petals are tightlyspiraled to cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward. Whenfully open, the bloom form is more cupped, and the petals are looselycupped to somewhat undulated with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is somewhat heavy and of moderately thin tomedium thickness, with upper surfaces moderately satiny and undersurfaces slightly shiny. The petals are about 3.0 to about 5.2 cm. inlength and about 2.5 to about 5.7 cm. in width at the widest point.Petal margins are entire.

The outer petals are somewhat obovate in shape with rounded apices.

The inner petals are broadly obovate in shape with rounded apices.

Petaloids are about 1.1 to about 3.8 cm. in length and about 0.3 toabout 2.2 cm. in width at the widest point. Petaloids are irregularlyshaped somewhat oblanceolate with rounded apices.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under and upper surface color of the outer petals is between 75D and69B sometimes lightly suffused with between 74B and 70B. At the pointwhere the petal attaches, there is a large zone of between 155A and155C.

The under surface color of the intermediate and inner petals is between75D and 69B often lightly suffused with between 74B and 70B. The uppersurface color of the intermediate and inner petals is between 75D and69B often moderately suffused with between 74B and 70B.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 75D and 69Boften moderately suffused with between 74B and 70B.

THREE-DAY-OLD FLOWER

The under and upper surface color of the outer petals is between 84D and69C sometimes lightly suffused with between 78A and 78B. At the pointwhere the petal attaches, there is a large zone of between 155A and155C.

The under surface color of the intermediate and inner petals is between84D and 69C sometimes lightly suffused with between 78A and 78B. Theupper surface color of the intermediate and inner petals is between 84Dand 69C often moderately suffused with between 78A and 78B.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 84D and 69Coften moderately suffused with between 78A and 78B.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly.

In November in Pomona, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five days. Cut roses from plants grownoutdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally lastabout four to five days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are average in number (average about 90) and are arrangedregularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. Thefilaments are of somewhat short length (about 0.3 to about 0.7 cm.) mostwith anthers. Filaments are between 3C and 4B in color. The anthers aremedium to somewhat large for the class and all open approximately at thesame time. Anther color when immature is near 22A on the external partand near 11D on the internal part. Anther color at maturity is near 165Bon the external part and near 200A on the internal part. Pollen ismoderate and between 22B and 23C in color.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (average about 50). The styles are moderatelyeven, somewhat long in length (about 0.4 to about 0.8 cm.), moderatelythin in caliper, and loosely bunched to somewhat separated. Stigma coloris between 18C and 19C. Style color is between 154C and 150C usuallyheavily suffused with between 60A and 59B. Ovaries are usually allenclosed in the calyx. The ovaries are of small size and between 158Band 158C in color.

Hips have not been observed on this variety when grown in Pomona, Calif.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to nine leaflets andare borne abundantly. The seven-leaflet leaves are about 10.0 to about14.0 cm. in length and about 7.3 to about 9.9 cm. in width at the widestpoint, moderately leathery to somewhat crisp in texture on both sides,and glossy in finish on the upper side and semi-glossy in finish on theunder side. The leaves have a pinnate venation pattern. The terminalleaflets are about 4.0 to about 5.7 cm. in length and about 2.3 to about3.7 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped oval to somewhat ovate withacute to somewhat acuminate apices and rounded bases. Their margins areusually simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 137A and 147A. Theunder surface color of the mature leaf is between 137C and 146A. Theunder and upper colors of the leaf veins on the mature leaf are similarin coloration to the upper and under surfaces colors of the mature leaf.The upper surface color of the young leaf is between 137C and 146A,often lightly suffused with between 187B and 187A. The under surfacecolor of the young leaf is between 146B and 146A, often lightly suffusedwith between 187B and 187A. The under and upper colors of the leaf veinson the young leaf are similar in coloration to the upper and undersurfaces colors of the young leaf.

The rachis is somewhat light to average in caliper and rough. The upperside is deeply grooved with some hairs and few stipitate glands on theedges of the grooves. The under side of the rachis is rough with fewstipitate glands and small prickles. The rachis color is near 146D onthe under side and near 137C on the upper side, often lightly suffusedon the young leaves with between 187B and 187A.

The stipules are about 0.9 to about 1.4 cm. in length and moderatelywide (about 0.6 to about 0.9 cm.) with long straight points that usuallyturn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees. The under and uppersurface color of the stipule is between 137B and 137C. The upper andunder surfaces of the stipules are smooth in texture.

The petiole is somewhat light to average in caliper and rough. The upperside is deeply grooved with some hairs and few stipitate glands on theedges of the grooves. The under side of the petiole is rough with fewstipitate glands and small prickles. The petiole is about 0.3 to about1.1 cm. in length and about 0.1 to about 0.2 cm in width at the widestpoint. The petiole color is near 146D on the under side and near 137C onthe upper side, often lightly suffused on the young leaves with between187B and 187A.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa), downy mildew (Peronospora sparsa), andrust (Phragmidium sp.) as compared to other commercial varieties grownunder comparable conditions in Pomona, Calif. The plant's winterhardiness and drought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

GROWTH

The plant has a rounded bushy moderately spreading medium height growinghabit (about 120 to about 160 cm. in height and about 120 to about 170cm. spread at the widest point), with full branching. It displaysmoderately vigorous growth and the canes are of medium to somewhat heavycaliper for the class (about 1.3 to about 2.8 cm. in diameter at thewidest point).

The color of the major stems is between 146A and 146B. The major stemsare rough in texture and they bear some large prickles that are about0.6 to about 0.9 cm. in length. The large prickles are hooked slightlydownward with a medium length somewhat narrow oval base; prickle coloris between 199A and 199B often moderately suffused with between 201B and201C. The major stem bears few small prickles of similar shape andcoloration. The color of the branches is between 146B and 146A. Thebranches are rough in texture and they bear some large prickles whichare of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems;prickle color is between 164A and 165B. The branches bear few smallprickles of similar shape and coloration. The color of the new shoots isbetween 146B and 146A sometimes lightly suffused with between 187B and187A. The new shoots are rough in texture and they bear some largeprickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles onthe major stems; prickle color is between 147B and 148B often moderatelysuffused with between 187B and 187C. The shoots bear few small pricklesof similar shape and coloration.

1. A new and distinct Floribunda rose plant of the variety substantiallyas described and illustrated herein.